Tourists went to the rescue of a turtle in Thursday that had been trapped in a collection of marine litter.

It was wrapped up in an assortment of string and plastic bottles when it was found by the French visitors close to the shoreline of the Cala Bosque beach on the Orihuela Costa.

The turtle will be transferred to the Arca del Mar del Oceanográfico in Valencia where its health will be assessed following its treatment for minor wounds suffered on its fins as a result of being caught in the debris.

About 75 centimeters in length, the turtle was been spotted by the tourists, who were on board a recreational boat just off the beach. They alerted the lifeguards who called 112 . Not being able to lift it into the boat, the company Recreativos Acuáticos Horadada, managed to move it to the beach on their jet ski’s.

The photo shows Ángel, the coordinator of the Orihuela Costa lifeguard service, moving the turtle of to Campoamor where it was examined by a marine biologist prior to its treatment.  Apart from not having eaten for the last few days the turtle was said to be in excellent health.

The biologist said that subject to no health problems being found it will be released back into the sea during the coming days.